Advice on Rugs

[ceoshurman]

<font color="blue"> I have recently bought a 3 year old traditional cob gelding who has been showing in hand with great success. I am wondering how to manage his mane over the winter as we intend to rug him up, i am worried that a traditional rug may rub his mane away, would you advise a full neck or anything else. </font>

 

[pottamus]

My Sec D has a long, full flowing mane and I have always been advised to avoid neck covers as they rub. I use a standard cut Weatherbeeta and have had no rubbing problems at the base of his mane at all.

 

[Shilasdair]

Well, you can get lycra neck covers that you could pop on under a full neck rug.
But most neck rugs with integral hoods have smooth nylon linings to stop ruggings. It's the separate hoods with the hook or velcro attachments that seem to catch the mane just above the withers and rub it out.
S

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Do you plan to clip him?
Is he living in or out?

If he lives in and isn't clipped I wouldn't think he'd need a rug with a neck.

I have two rugs with necks, an aerborn turnout combo and a weatherbeeta fleece combo, neither of these rub the mane.

 

[ceoshurman]

probably a trace clip
he is out at day and in during the night

 

[Paint it Lucky]

In that case I wouldn't use a neck cover (though maybe I'm just mean!) As he's a cob type and has a nice long mane to keep him warm I doubt he'd get that cold. Alot of modern stable rugs do have anti-rub bits in the necks though to be safe I would go for one of the less cheap brands.

 

[blueberry]

Hi, we show mountain and moorlands and find pig oil is very useful. It helps lessen hair breakage in the mane but it also acts as a great water reppelent when used over the coat and helps prevent mud fever when applied regularly on the legs.

Its a great product to have in your tack room. I would prob plait the mane down to keep it manageable and then before shows use a lycra hood to keep clean amd flat.

Full neck rugs do tend to rub but you could pull back the neck cover during the day possibly if it has adjustments to allow that.

 

[ISHmad]

If he's got a lovely long mane would he need a neck cover? We use FAL silver lined rugs with the detachable neck covers, so can pick and choose which days to use the hood and when not too. They don't rub, and polish the horse's coats up a treat too which is another bonus if you are showing.

 

[ceoshurman]

thanks to everyone who has commented i think we will decide to use a standard cut rug